Tension in village after murder of Sena man

Nagpur, Aug 20 (UNI) The brutal murder of Gopal Lohabare, a Shiv Sena member of Nagpur Zilla Parishad member, sparked off protests by his supporters, who went on rampage in village Tarsa, about 47 kms from here today.

Police said a group of about 10 to 12 armed men stopped the car of Lohabare (38), while he was on his way home to village Tarsa and assaulted him with swords and other sharp weapons late last night.

They cut off his head, killing him on the spot, police said.

The Sena activists initially staged a sit-in protest over the murder and later set on fire two pan kiosks and tried to torch the house of one of the suspects Shankar Deshmukh, shortly before the funeral this afternoon.

The police have taken into custody five persons in this connection. Dattu Deshmukh, Shankar Deshmukh, Ravi Chavan, Ravindra Chandelwada and Devendra Konge were being questioned.

The situation in the village was tense but under control this evening, police said.

The murder was the outcome of an altercation that Mr Lohabare had with a group of persons in a restaurant last evening, police added.

UNI